Android Q Beta 1 quick review: What features does it bring and should you try it on your smartphone

The first beta of Android Q is only available for Pixel devices and can be downloaded by enrolling into the Android Beta Program. Android Q Beta 1 brings a lot of enhanced privacy options and minor refinements all around.

Google released the first beta of the next version of Android last week. Called Android Q, the latest version brings a major focus on enhanced data privacy as well as refinements under-the-hood. The beta version is presently available for developers to try out and make their apps compatible with Android Q. However, this isn't the only beta version of Android Q that will come - there will be more major updates introducing new features and refinements that could make their way to the stable build of Android Q later this year.

Since this is the first beta of Android Q, not all new features have been dumped into the software. The major changes that we have noticed so far are the revamped privacy control options. There are some minor UI enhancements as well for the Pixel launcher. Developers have also claimed to find more hidden features that Google could unlock in the second beta of Android Q. Nonetheless, the first beta holds enough options to keep enthusiasts and developers entertained.

Eager to see what Android Q has in store for us, I enrolled in the Android Beta Program and downloaded the Android Q Beta 1 on a first generation Google Pixel. I have been playing with it for a while and here's how it feels.

Android Q: What's new and how it feels?

New privacy options: With Android Q, Google is taking a drastic step to make Android more secure by limiting an app's access to the various parameters of the device. Since I started using my preferred apps in Android Q, the OS keeps throwing up a lot of privacy options when you use the app for the first time. The privacy prompt window now looks more polished and certainly snatches attention - this is way better than the annoying small prompts in Android Pie.

However, Google is now limiting access to location as well for all third-party apps. For example, I opened the My Vodafone app for the first time and Android Q threw up a prompt that offers three location privacy options for the app - Allow all the time, Allow only while this app is on use and Deny. The second option, where the OS only allows app location while using the app, has been previously seen on iOS for a long time. Therefore, with this option, you can be assured that no app will access location data in the background when you aren't using it.

The Settings menu also gets two new options - Privacy and Location. Under Privacy, you can now deal with all app permissions and various ways to deal with keeping passwords safe. Under Location, you get more ways to deal with location access that every app has on your phone. You can even see which apps have access to location always while which ones are restricted. You can also change the status of location privacy.

On the whole, compared to Android 9 Pie, Android Q surely offers a more elaborate way to ensure your data privacy. With Android Q, I am more relieved that the data on my phone is getting more security than before, even if it doesn't have the best security solutions that iOS offers.

Dark Mode: Yes, Android Pie finally gets a native dark mode. Sadly, it's only available when you enable the Battery Saver mode. That said, the dark mode works similar to the one we have seen on OnePlus and Samsung phones so far.

The UI in notifications panel, Settings menu and the Phone app gains a black background. This certainly helps while reading in low ambient light situations. I wish that over the successive beta versions, Google enables it for use in the non-Battery saver mode, similar to a dark theme. Speaking of themes

Accent colours: If you have used a OnePlus device, you must be familiar with tweaking the accent colours across the OS. Android Q also gets similar accent colour options but its quite restricted at the moment. You can only choose from four colour options. There's one font available apart from the default Google Sans font. You can even modify the icon shape. These settings are hidden under the Developer Options in Beta 1.

Smart battery indicator: Android Q now shows how long your phone will last under the current usage scenario. When you bring down the notification shade, the battery meter is gone and in its place is shown the estimated time left based on the usage pattern.

This is a nifty feature that could help those who have battery anxiety - at least you won't have to do the math, figuring how long will your phone last.

QR codes for sharing Wi-Fi: Android Q now lets you share login details of a Wi-Fi network that your phone is latched on. Instead of dictating complex passwords, you can simply scan the QR code on your other phone to latch on to the network. You can even classify the network as a Metered Connection and prevent any app or the OS from downloading huge updates.

Android Q Beta 1: Should you get it?

With Android Q, Google is surely offering a more matured version of Android. The new security options, as well as the nifty features, are compelling enough to try out the Beta 1. However, Android Q is still in Beta testing and there are chances that you might encounter bugs that may disrupt your experience. If you have a secondary device that qualifies for the Beta 1 update, it's surely worth trying out.

So far, I haven't encountered any major bug. The performance is quite smooth on the three-year-old Pixel and battery life is also pretty stable. However, it's still risky to get the beta on your daily driver and I would suggest you should preferably use it on a secondary device for now.